Without You
by PricelessBabyGirl
Summary: How do you function when you no longer have the one thing that has always been constant in your life? What do you do when you finally realize you're the reason they walked away from you and into the arms of someone else?
1. Don't I Always

"I'm just going out with the guys, I'll be back later on tonight," Dean Ambrose said as he glanced at the blonde girl to his left before pulling on his sock.

"So I flew out here to sit in a hotel room all weekend?" she asked with an exasperated sigh as she tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and looked up at him.

"You act like we won't spend the days together for the next four days and sleep together at night. I'll be back in a few hours," he stood and slipped on his shoes.

"You act like you're not with these men everyday of your life," she quipped back, rolling her eyes.

"If you don't stop with your smart ass mouth I won't come back at all," he threatened.

Alexa sighed as she leaned back on the bed post; there was no use arguing with him, he was just going to do what he wanted anyway.

Dean left with a rushed goodbye, not bothering to kiss or even look at Alexa before he walked out of the door -to her personal hotel room. Resigned to her fate Alexa swung her legs over the side of the bed and walked to the en suite bathroom; he never failed to get her one of the biggest and nicest rooms that the hotel offered. _'Probably just to make up for being a complete asshole and fucking anything that spread its legs,' _she thought bitterly to herself. Alexa sighed and shook her head, reminding herself that making up scenarios in her head was only going to cause her to drive herself crazy. She ran herself the hottest bath she could handle before stripping off her clothes and sinking into the soothing water, closing her eyes and releasing herself of the stress caused by Dean fucking Ambrose.

After a good 15 minute soak in the tub Alexa could no longer stand the sight of her pruned fingers, she climbed out of the tub, clutching the plush white hotel towel to the front of her glistening wet body. She pulled the plug from the massive tub before adjusting her towel around her body, bunching it up in the front between her breasts. She made quick work of finding a pair of boy-shorts and a tank top, slipping them off before tossing the towel into the hotel provided hamper in the closet. Just as Alexa had settled into bed and prepared herself to cuddle up with a book on her kindle she heard a knock at her door.

Glancing at the clock on the bed side table -which read 12:30am- she knew it wasn't Dean knocking. She threw off the covers and grabbed the robe that was draped over the back of a  
chair and pulled it on, wrapping it tightly around her body before pulling the door open in annoyance.

"He really brought you all the way here to leave you locked in a hotel room?"

Alexa face softened a bit when she saw Roman Reigns standing at her door - Roman was not only Dean's on-screen team mate but he was also one of Dean's closest friends.

"Isn't it like this every time I come out here?"

"I don't know why you still come," he smirked.

"Maybe because I love my midnight visits from long haired Samoan guys."

Roman smiled as he pushed into Alexa's hotel room, closing the door behind him before placing his right hand inside of Alexa's robe and around her body onto the small of her back and pulling her against him. "I better be the ONLY long haired Samoan guy visiting your room at midnight."

Alexa smirked as his lips met hers in a heated encounter. He backed her up until the backs of her knees hit the edge of the bed, startling her and breaking her out of her trance. Alexa gently pushed on Roman's chest, her signal to him that they needed to slow down.

Normally Roman calmly took the hint and stepped back, unfortunately tonight was different. "Damn it, why do you do this?" he asked as he stepped back, running his bands through his long black hair.

"Do what Roman?" Alexa asked. As she plopped on the bed, she knew what he was referring to but sometimes the clueless act worked in her favor - just like most things tonight this hadn't worked as planned.

"You know what I mean. I can't be seen outside with you, I can't show you affection in front of people, I want so bad to throw you on the bed and make love to you all night; but you always stop me. You know you want all of it as bad as I do, stop telling yourself that you can't have it when I'm standing right here ready to give you everything."

Alexa fidgeted with her hands in her lap, "I told you, I can't do any of that while I'm still with Dean."

"Then end it Alexa," Roman plopped down on the bed next to her. "Oh for Christ sakes you guys  
hardly have any type of relationship now as it is. He talks to you for two minutes out of his day while he's away, brings you on the road with him only to lock you in a hotel room - your own personal hotel room - you can't even room with him," Roman placed his hand on Alexa's bare knee. "You're hurting every day; just end it before I end him for putting you through this."

"It's not that easy," Alexa said quietly.

Roman took a deep calming breath, "Why?"

"He's all I've known for nine years Roman, how do I just throw it all away? How do I walk away from him when I've always been the only one there for him?"

"You're not the one throwing it away, he's already done that. Who cares if you've been there for him in the past? Where is he when you need him now?"

Alexa shoulders sagged in defeat; Roman slid his left arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him. Alexa rested her head on his shoulder and laced her fingers in his.

"I can't stand seeing you hurt. Every day it gets harder to work alongside him. I can hold back from telling him for the sake work, but our friendship is going to end because I can't be around him any other time."

"Your friendship is going to end when the truth about us comes out."

"Oh so I've made it to WHEN and not just IF? We're getting somewhere," Roman smirked.

Alexa laughed and kissed Romans clothed shoulder.

"God I love that sound," he smiled, referring to Alexa's laughter.

Alexa glanced at the clock on the bedside and sighed, "He'll be back in a couple hours, can we stop talking about him so you can hold me?"

Roman pulled his arm from around Alexa and stood from the bed, scooping her up and walking to her side of the bed before placing her down and climbing over top of her to lie next to her.

"How come you never tell me about the things he does behind my back?" Alexa questioned, regretting bringing him back up when they had just silently agreed to stop discussing him.

"Because you're a smart girl and I think you've got everything pretty much pieced together. Trust me, any doubts you're having are probably right."

"I can never figure out where he and I went wrong," she sighed as she laid her head on his chest.

"Sometimes people just fall apart. You met him when you were sixteen, Alexa. You gave him a chance when no one else would and maybe you both thought you were in love."

Alexa let what Roman said sink in before speaking again. "Will you stay until I fall asleep?" she asked as she cuddled closer to him.

Roman reached over her and clicked off the lamp on the bedside before wrapping his arm tighter and pulling her closer, "Don't I always?"


	2. Look Forward To

Alexa woke to the feeling of rough hands pushing up her tank top, her eyes flung open and met the crystal blue ones of Dean. The moment he opened his mouth to lean down for a kiss Alexa became repulsed at the smell of all the alcohol on him. She pushed at his chest to get him away from her but he wouldn't budge.

"Dean Stop," she said as she tried again. "I don't want to do this right now."

Dean pushed up on the bed; he was on top of her with his knees on both sides of her. "Then why the fuck do you come on the road then?" he said as she climbed off of her and plopped onto the bed next to her, throwing his left arm over his eyes.

"I come out here to spend time with you Dean. You're always on the road and if I didn't come and visit we'd only see each other two or three times a month."

"Maybe I'd be okay with that," he said. "Maybe I don't need you on the road with me being all clingy. Maybe I'd like the space and time away from you."

Alexa was strong enough to take a lot of what Dean said and push it to the side, especially when he was drunk, but the words that just came out of his mouth stung her so bad she couldn't hold in the tears. For the sake of not giving him the satisfaction of seeing her cry Alexa grabbed her cell phone off of the bedside table and hurried into the bathroom, shutting and locking the door behind her. Alexa slid her back down the bathroom door, pulling her knees to her cheat and wrapping her arms around her legs she let the tears fall. She wished more than anything that Roman was with her right now and not the asshole that currently took up the space in her bed. Alexa picked her phone up from the spot next to her on the floor and brought it up to her face; she put in the code to unlock it and quickly brought up her text messages.

'**I miss you so much.' **She hit send on the screen, not expecting a text back after seeing that it was close to three in the morning. The sound of the phone vibrating in her hand startled her but she couldn't help but smile when she saw the text message was from Roman.

'**I miss you more than that. Is everything okay? Seth just got in so I'm assuming Dean is there.'**

Alexa began crying again as she sent out her response, **'Everything is fine. I just can't sleep next to the smell of booze. Wish you were still holding me.' **She couldn't tell Roman everything that Dean had said to her, she knew it would only anger him and cause even more tension and until she got the balls to end things with Dean she knew she had to keep everything calm.

'**Soon babygirl. No one will be able to keep us apart.' **Alexa smiled as he responded to her with the nickname he had given her and remembered that day like it was yesterday.

"_I don't want to go back home," she whispered from the stall in the men's bathroom of the airport. _

"_I don't want you to leave either," Roman said as he pulled her to his chest._

"_Give me your phone," she said as she pulled her arm out from between them and held her hand out. Holding her with one arm, Roman fished his phone out of his pocket and dropped it in her hand. Alexa unlocked the phone and when under his contacts, adding her number to the long list._

"_Wait, you have to put your name as something else. I don't want the guys to see your name pop up on my phone if I'm with them and you text me," he said._

"_You want me to put Kelly or Leslie or something?" she said as she scrunched up her nose._

"_No," he shook his head. "Let's go with…" he thought. "Babygirl."_

_Alexa smiled as she typed the name Roman had said into the phone before hitting the save button._

'**Very soon.' **She answered back before standing up off the floor and making her way to the vanity. She looked at her reflection in the mirror and cringed at the sight of her puffy red eyes, and blotchy face. _'End all of this, and tell him now,' _she told herself. Alexa took a deep breath and picked her phone up in her hand, knowing she was going to use it once she broke the news to Dean. She quietly opened the door and looked to the bed; Dean was still lying in the same spot with his arm over his eyes. It wasn't until she got closer to the bed that she heard his quiet even breathing, signaling that he had fallen asleep.

Alexa sighed as she plopped down on the chair next to the bed and leaned back, she didn't know when she was going to work up the courage to tell him again.

"Hey, wake up," Alexa heard as she felt a gentle hand run through her hair. "That chair can't be too comfortable."

Alexa's eyes flew open as she paired that voice with Dean Ambrose, "Don't touch me," she said as she stood from the chair.

Dean took a deep breath, "What the hell did I do now?"

Alexa looked at Dean as if he had just lost his mind, "What did you do?" Alexa scoffed before it dawned on her that he didn't remember a damn thing he had said to her last night. "Nothing," she shook her head as she turned to walk to the bathroom, "Just forget it." Alexa shut and locked the bathroom door behind her before getting ready for a shower.

When Alexa opened the bathroom door, towel clutched tightly around her body, she found herself alone in the hotel room. As she walked closer to the bed she noticed a note scribbled on a napkin and placed on the bed.

**-I'll save a spot for you downstairs for breakfast.**

Alexa took a deep breath, she was going to be around Roman and Dean together and she knew after last night that it wouldn't be easy to act 'normal'. Alexa put the note back down on the bed and walked to her suitcase pulling out a pair of dark blue jeans, chocolate long sleeve shirt, and the appropriate under-garments before slipping it all on. She made her way back into the bathroom and pulled her blonde hair up into a messy bun the top of her head, leaving a few tendrils of hair falling out and framing her face. She popped two chocolate diamond earrings into her ear before walking back out to the main room, she grabbed her cream scarf with brown striped and slipped it around her neck before slipping on her brown mid-calf Uggs. After looking at herself in the mirror and approving her appearance she grabbed her phone and key card off of the bed before leaving her hotel room.

Roman could feel her presence before he even saw her and as he looked up from his menu he had to fight himself from getting up and embracing her in a hug.

"Alexa's here," he announced, wanting to see if her poor excuse for a boyfriend was going to get up and acknowledge her presence.

"Wave her down if she hasn't already seen us," he said, not bothering to take his eyes off of the menu.

Alexa took one final deep breath before she continued walking to the table and sitting in the chair directly across from Roman and on the right side of Dean.

"Feel better now?" he said as he closed his menu and placed it on the table in front of him.

Alexa nodded her head as she ignored Roman's gaze and picked up her menu.

"What was wrong?" Seth asked.

"I just wasn't feeling myself when I woke up," she said before Dean could make a smart remark about her attitude.

"Probably because you slept in a chair," Dean added with a scoff as he pulled his phone from his pocket.

Alexa glanced up to see that Seth had gone back to looking at his menu, giving Alexa time to steal a glance at Roman who had his head down and eyes closed, clenching and unclenching his right fist which was resting on the table. Alexa moved her foot under the table and rubbed it on Roman's calf, she watched him as he hand released its fist, his eyes opened, and he lifted his head to look at Alexa.

The sound of Seth putting his menu on the table broke the two out of their trance and Alexa's foot stilled and she went back to looking at her menu. The waitress approached the table just as Alexa decided was she was going to get. The men all took their turns placing their orders and then Alexa gave the waitress hers.

"So, anything on the agenda for today here in beautiful snowy Pennsylvania," Seth started a conversation.

"I wanted to hit up that Crossfit joint that we passed on our way to the club last night," Dean said. "We have to be at the airport by six to catch our flight down to Florida."

"I'm looking forward to sun for four days," Seth added.

"Lucky me then, I'll be there for six," Alexa smiled.

"You're staying in Florida?" Dean asked.

"Yeah, I talked to my brother last night. I'm going to go stay with him while we're there and then just head back to Ohio Sunday afternoon," Alexa could see the look of disapproval on Dean's face. "I figured it could save some money on a hotel room," she shrugged.

"Whatever you want to do Alexa," Dean said as he rolled his eyes.

Alexa was thankful that the waitress had brought the food to their table at that moment; she placed all the food in front of them before smiling and walking away.

"So, big man," Seth said as he clapped his hand on Roman's back. "You got any plans while we're down there?"

"I might check out Disney World while we're down there."

Alexa smiled down at her plate, one night she had Roman had stayed up talking about random things and one of the topics had been how much Alexa was in love with all things Disney. She didn't care if she was almost twenty four years old; she jumped up and down the second she stepped foot through those magical gates. That night had ended with Roman promising to take her next time they were both in Florida together.

"Good, you can take the crazy mouse lover here with you as your tour guide," Dean said. "She's been more times than anyone I know."

"I can show you all the secrets of Disney World," Alexa joked as she began to rub her foot against Roman once more.

"Sounds like a plan," he smiled.

"Indeed it is," she replied, smiling because now the idea of traveling with the guys didn't seem too bad; she now had something to look forward to.


	3. Follow Your Heart

Alexa sighed as she plopped down in the chair near the boarding gate where she and the superstars of the WWE were currently waiting to catch their flight to Florida.

"Why are you so restless?" Dean asked, looking over at his fidgety girlfriend.

"I hate flying, it makes me nervous. Millions of things could go wrong and we're thousands of feet in the air and have no control," Alexa panicked. It never failed, every time she was getting ready to board a plane she always had an anxiety attack; and with all the stress she had been dealing with lately she knew this one was going to be a bad one.

Dean placed his book bag on the floor in front of him before turning his body towards Alexa and placing both of his hand on her shoulders, "Look at me," he said, making Alexa lock her eyes with his. "Let's take a deep breath," he said as they both inhaled and exhaled slowly. "Everything is going to be okay," he said as she continued her deep breaths. "We're going to board the plane and in a few hours we'll be safely on the ground in sunny Florida. You'll be hanging out with your brother and exploring your favorite place in the world."

Alexa smiled as she began to let all of those happy thoughts flood her mind, blocking out the fear of being in thousands of feet in the air.

"You good now?" he smiled

Alexa shook her head, smiling at the fact that the Dean she had fallen in love with had made an appearance; maybe there was still hope between the two. Dean turned his attention back to his conversation with Seth, who was sitting on the other side of him.

'**You okay?' **Alexa read the text from Roman; he was sitting on the other side of Seth and completely out of her line of sight.

'**Yeah, just my usual panic attack. I'm fine.' **she replied, suddenly ashamed of the relationship she and Roman had. The Dean that cared for her was still deep down somewhere and if she could pull him out for a second when she needed him then she knew there was some hope that she could bring him back completely; after all, she was the one that changed him before.

"_Dean Ambrose right?" _

_Dean looked up from his spot on the bench at the bus stop to see and amazingly beautiful blonde haired, green eyed girl. "Yeah, who are you?"_

"_Alexa," she said as she extended her hand to him. "We go to school together, or we did until you stopped showing up two weeks ago."_

"_What are you doing on this side of town? You don't exactly look like you're from here," he said, referring to The North Face jacket, designer jeans, and Ugg boots she was currently sporting._

"_I help out at the boys and girls home three days out of the week," she said. "May I sit?"_

"_It's not MY bench," he said as she scooted over a bit so she could sit on the bench._

"_I saw you there last week, why haven't you been back?"_

"_It's not for me, I don't want help from anyone," he claimed._

_Alexa took a deep breath, "You don't have to go down this path, and you can change it."_

"_My dad was an alcoholic, and my mother got pregnant as a teenager, high school drop-out, and a drug addict," he said as she glanced over her. "I think my path is pretty much laid out for me."_

"_See now that's just not true," she said. "You can make your own path; you don't have to be an alcoholic or a drug addict, or a high school dropout just because the people who brought you into this world were."_

"_How do you know so much about this?" he question._

"_My mom used to get beat by my dad every day, sometimes to the point where she couldn't stand on her own two feet," Alexa took a deep breath. "Until one day she stood up for herself and changed her life. She left my dad and met an amazing man that was willing to accept her for what she was and the two children that came with her. She went from being a women that barely had money to put food on the table, that got beat to a bloody pulp day in and day out to a women that owns her own business and is happily married to the owner of a chain of banks," Alexa looked over a Dean. "She's the reason I volunteer here, if my mother can change her path that late in her life there's no reason that the kids in here can't do the same. All they need is the support and encouragement that they deserve."_

"_You're living proof that looks can be deceiving," Dean smiled._

_Alexa laughed as she shook her head, "I know I look like a spoiled little rich girl, but in reality I'm just the product of a woman who decided that her children deserved better." Alexa stood up from the bench, "What is one thing you want right this second?"_

"_A bed, a real bed. Not a cot," Dean said as he too stood from the bench._

"_If I told you I could arrange that can you promise me that you'll go back to school?"_

_Dean shook his head, "I don't want your pity charity."_

"_It's not pity charity if I'm asking for something in return," Alexa fired back. "The second you stop attending school this bed will no longer be available to you."_

_Dean looked at the girl standing in front of him, he knew he couldn't tell her no she he responded with, "Okay, you have a deal."_

'**I know when you're lying. We'll talk tonight. See you after the flight babygirl,' **Alexa took a deep breath, fighting back the tears that wanted so bad to fall.

Alexa had never been more thankful to hear their plane number called, she gathered her carry on and purse and followed the guys to the entrance to the boarding gate.

"Jake, there's something I need to talk to you about," Alexa asked as she approached her brother, who was sitting in the living room watching TV.

Alexa landed in Florida about two hours ago, she rode in the company limo with the guys to the hotel where Dean got her a taxi and she made her way to her brother's house.

Jake picked up the remote and clicked off the television as his baby sister sat down on the couch next to him. "Is everything okay?"

Alexa shook her head, "Yes and no. Dean and I have been having problems."

Jake couldn't hide the fact that he was surprised to hear those words come out of his sisters mouth, he had been there from the minute she walked him through the door of their family home. He was the first to see something between the two of them and knew that their relationship was going to turn into something more than Alexa helping someone that needed help.

"He's been really distant the past six or seven months. He doesn't call as often as he used to, he makes me sleep in a different hotel room and he just seems annoyed with my presence or even the thought of me. About four months ago his friend Roman found me upset about Dean blowing off something he had promised to do with me and he's been keeping me company ever since. It's turned into more with Roman and I really like him and when Dean is being an ass I want nothing more than to end things with Dean and run into Roman's arms. But today in the airport Dean talked me out of an anxiety attack and I saw the old Dean in his eyes, the Dean I fell four all those years ago. I don't know if I should just give it all up or stick by him through this rough patch and help him get passed it."

Jake took a deep breath, absorbing all of the things his sister had just told him, "My first question to you is going to have to be; are you miserable more than you're happy?"

"Yes," Alexa answered honestly.

"Now my second question, do you think Dean has been unfaithful to you in these past few months?"

"Yes."

"That right there should answer your own question for you," he said. "You watched mom be unhappy in her relationship with years because she wanted to change the evil our dad had in him and now here you are, doing the same. Sacrificing your happiness along the way." He took his sisters hands in his, "Think about you for once. You've always been the one helping everyone else reach their dreams and find their happiness but now it's time for you to focus on you. Follow your heart, be and do everything you want."


	4. Her Heart

It was now Thursday morning and Alexa paced back and forth in the living room of her brothers phone. She had come here straight from the airport Tuesday night; Dean came over and joined her and her brother before he headed off to the hotel. Alexa had text Roman after she and her brother spoke to each other and they decided that Thursday was the best day for them to go to Disney together because Wednesday he and the guys had signings and Friday was a live edition of SmackDown that the three had to attend.

So here she was, looking out of the bay window. She was dressed for Disney, wearing a pair of black leggings with a white polka dotted off-the-shoulder long-sleeved shirt and a pair of comfortable red flats; they were in Florida but it was still the middle of January so shorts weren't an option at all. Alexa watched a car pull into her brother's driveway causing the butterflies in her stomach to begin working overtime. She stopped by the mirror by the front door and straightened out her Minnie Mouse ears and ran her fingers through her hair. She took a deep breath before she turned the door knob and pulled the door open; stepping out onto the porch. She locked the door before she closed it and then headed to the car.

"You really are serious about this Disney stuff," Roman smiled as she slid into the car.

"What? You thought I was lying?" Alexa smiled. "Let's get out of here, Magical Kingdom is calling me."

"Did I do something wrong?" Roman asked as he and Alexa took a seat on a park bench near one of the rides they had just gotten off of.

"What do you mean?"

"Ever since that day in the airport you seem distant. Your texts were short with me and you've avoided all physical contact with me today."

Alexa sighed, this wasn't a conversation she wanted to have right now but she also didn't want her avoidance of it to ruin their day. "I just went into a little bit of a guilt trip over you and me."

"Caused by what?"

"I have panic attacks every time I'm about to get on a plane; you know that. Dean has always talked me out of it and calmed me down. The past three times I've been to the airport though he just let me have the panic attacks and didn't even ask if I was okay. But on Tuesday, he talked me out of it and when he looked me in the eyes I saw the Dean I fell in love with."

Roman shook his head, "I'm not going to say that Dean doesn't love you anymore because he does. I can tell. But I can also tell that it's not what it used to be nor is it enough for you. You deserve to be happy Alexa. I see you helping other people all the time and I heard about the way you and Dean met and you always have to make sure people are bettering themselves and enjoying their lives. It's time for you to do the same."

Alexa shook her head, "That's almost identical to what my brother said to me last night."

"Can we be us for the rest of today?" he asked, getting a nod in response he reached over and took his hand in her. "This is all I've wanted to do all day. Hold your hand, just to feel you."

"You ready to go see the castle?" Alexa smiled.

Roman stood from the bench, not releasing Alexa's hand, "Let's go babygirl."

"This is where I want my future husband to propose to me at," Alexa smiled as she and Roman stood in front of the castle. "Before he buys me a castle of my own."

"You have some expensive wishes," Roman laughed. "But they're all completely doable," he smiled as he wrapped his arms around her shoulders from behind her, pulling her close to him.

Alexa took a moment to close her eyes and enjoy what she was feeling at the moment. She was standing in her favorite place in the world, in front of her most favorite attraction in the world, wrapped in the arms of a man that truly cared for her and only her. She was secretly fighting the urge to send Dean and 'It's over' text message and run away with Roman to live happily ever after.

"Let's run away together," he whispered in her ears, unknowingly reading her mind.

Alexa turned around in his arms, "We're going to," she smiled. "I'm going to go through with it before you guys leave Friday night."

Roman pulled his head back and studied Alexa's face, this was the first time ever she said she was finally going to end things with Dean, "You're really going to do it?"

Alexa shook her head, "I can't hold him or myself back anymore. I've been to this castle in this very spot with him numerous times and I've never had the feelings for him that I'm having for you right now. You haven't accused me of being childish once today or told me that my engagement and castle dreams are never going to happen. I just hope that all of this doesn't go away when we finally make this official."

"Nothing is ever going to change the way I treat you. You deserve to be respected and cherished everyday of your life. I've had a few serious relationships, shit I was engaged at one point but I have never felt for them how I feel for you."

Alexa leaned forward and crashed her lips down onto Roman's. She was thankful they were in a public place because had they been alone her 'no sleeping together' rule would be completely broken. The kiss was interrupted by the sound of her phone in her Coach satchel. She stepped out of Roman's arms as he released her to pull her phone out.

"It's Dean," she sighed as she looked at the caller ID before answering the phone. "Hey," she said.

"Hey, can you have Roman bring you here after Disney? I really need to talk to you," Alexa's heart sank; she knew just by his voice that something was off with Dean. He sounded rough and restless.

"Yeah, I'll ride back with him. Is everything okay?"

"God, I hope it will be after I talk to you tonight," he said. "I'll see you later," he said as he hung up the phone.

Alexa pulled the phone from her ear and stared at it dumbfounded.

"What's wrong?" Roman asked.

"He said he wants me to ride to the hotel with you after we're done so we can talk," she said as she shook off the phone call and placed her phone back in her purse.

"Talk about what?"

"He didn't say, when I asked him if everything was okay he said he hopes it is after we talk tonight. After that he said I'll see you later and hung up on me."

Roman shook his head and looked forward as the two strolled closer to the castle.

Alexa could tell he was thinking about something, "What's wrong?"

Roman shrugged, "He's going to spill his guts to you tonight."

Alexa looked at Roman confused, "What do you mean?" 

"He's going to tell you about all the mistakes he's made, why he's been treating you like shit, and that he's going to change," he said. "And you're going to believe it all."

Alexa took a deep breath and shook her head, "No I won't. He can spill his guts and clear his conscious but he doesn't get another chance. I want you Roman; I don't want this shitty excuse for a relationship with him anymore."

Roman shook his head, not believing anything Alexa was saying, "We'll see by the end of tonight."

"You've been sitting there staring at the wall for the past fifteen minutes," Alexa said as she stood from where she was sitting. She had gotten to the hotel room twenty minutes ago, the first five were spent watching Dean slowly move from the door, to the bar to pour himself some type of amber liquid, and the plop on the chair he was currently sitting.

"I've been cheating on you," he blurted out, causing Alexa to freeze in her standing position.

A part of her had always suspected he was being unfaithful but hearing the verbal confirmation out of his mouth felt as if someone ripped her heart right out of her chest.

"For quite some time now," he added as he down the rest of his drink and stood from the chair. He walked to the bar and set his glass down, gripping the edges of the bar so tight that his knuckles were turning white. "At first it was an accident, I was drunk and woke up naked next to someone that wasn't you. After that I realized that being with other people helped me cope with not ever seeing you so I continued to do it. I'd only maybe once or twice a month but we started going out more and me Roman and Seth had girls come from the arenas to the hotel rooms and it started happening more. Then you came out here one night, I forgot that you were coming and I had made plans to meet this girl in my hotel room. I knew I couldn't bring you there so I got you your own room. I did what I wanted with her and then went to your room, I hated myself so much that I took it out on you and you just dealt with it. You didn't push me away and you didn't stop coming to see me, so I kept doing it – kind of a have my cake and eat it too kind of thing."

Alexa slowly sat back down in her chair, she had zoned out the second Dean had said that Roman was involved in the parties with the other women. There went the rest of her heart.


	5. Give Her Time

Alexa sat on the couch in her brother's living room. It was ten thirty at night and he had taken his girlfriend out for the night; telling Alexa that he probably wouldn't be home until morning. So here she was, alone with her thoughts. She glanced at her phone vibrating on the coffee table and saw 'Roman' on the screen, she stared at it until it silenced; adding one more missed call to the list. 17. He had called her 17 times since she left Dean's hotel room an hour and a half ago. 17. She had ignored his phone call 17 times. 17. She could feel her heart breaking over and over 17 times.

She briefly let her mind drift back to the interaction between her and Dean in Dean's hotel room.

"_Please say something," he pleaded after he had finished spilling all of his dirty secrets to Alexa._

_Alexa shook her head before looking up at Dean, "You expect us to be okay after all of that?"_

"_We've been through a lot-"_

"_But cheating is something that I can't forgive. I can't move past it," Alexa stood from the chair. "I'm going to walk out that door and if you ever want me to even speak to you again you're going to let me do it. I've put up with enough from you for the past few months, don't give me anymore problems now."_

There may have been a tiny part of Alexa that wanted Dean to stop her and fight for her before she walked out that door but now that she had the chance to think about the entire situation she was thankful he didn't. She would have forgiven him and he would have talked her into being with him again. She was done with Dean Ambrose.

Alexa's phone began vibrating on the table once more but this time a knock at the front door disturbed her from watching it ring all the way through. She slowly stood from the couch and walked to the door; she pulled it open and saw Roman standing there with the phone to his ear. She could hear the sound of her voice playing the recorded voicemail greeting, she watched as he slowly pulled the phone from his ear and disconnected the call and slipped the phone back into his pocket.

He reached out and swiped his thumb underneath Alexa's left eye, wiping away a stray tear, "I've been calling you for the past 45 minutes."

Alexa sighed, "I know." She pushed down a lump in her throat, "You were right, he told me everything. Every little detail."

"Can I come in?"

"I don't know Roman. Did the girls that you guys bring back to the hotels ask you the same question?" she fired. The confusion on Roman's face made Alexa question if everything Dean had told her was indeed the entire truth but she continued anyway, "He told me how the three of you would bring girls back to the hotels with you."

Roman shook his head, "I never stayed at the hotel when they brought the girls there. I would room with my cousins or come and see you. I didn't take part in any of that."

Alexa looked down as the tears came pouring out of her eyes, she knew Roman was telling the truth – she was pretty good at distinguishing when she was being lied to. The feeling of Roman wrapping his arms tightly around her and pulling her close caused silent tears to turn into loud sobs.

"I need you," Alexa said as she clung to Roman.

"I'm right here," he soothed as he rubbed circles on her back

Alexa placed her hand on the back of Roman's neck and pulled him down to crash her lips to his, repeating the words "I need you," very low. Roman let out a throaty growl as he pushed Alexa up against the wall, holding both hands above Alexa's head as his hands roamed down her body until it reached the back of her left leg. He lifted her thigh up so that she could wrap both legs around his waist. He carried her from in front of the front door and into the living room, placing her gently onto the couch.

"Are you sure this is what you want?" he pushed his body up on both hands and looked down at her. Smiling when he saw her nod her head.

"You know things aren't going to be easy," Alexa said as she traced invisible circles on Roman's chest. They were lying on the couch after their wonderful sexual encounter; Alexa was lying with her head on Roman's chest with his right arm wrapped tightly around her. "Dean is going to try to talk to me again, we have to tell him, and we're not going to be together until all this mess is sorted out."

"We're together right now," Roman said. "We'll worry about all the other stuff when the time comes but for now you and I are together."

"I don't know why I even bothered to come tonight," Alexa said as she plopped down on the bench next to one her closest friends in the WWE, April Mendez. Her other best, Paige, had yet to make an appearance in the divas locker room.

"To see me, duh," she smiled. "Seriously though, just because you guys broke up don't stop coming to hang out."

"I won't," she smiled. _'As soon as Roman and I let everyone in on our secret I'll be on the road every chance I get.' _ "Hey Paigey Poo," Alexa smiled as Paige walked into the locker room.

Alexa watched as Paige lifted her head to look at her as if she was surprised she acknowledged her presence, "You're still talking to me?"

Alexa's eyebrows pulled together in confusion, "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Dean said he told you everything," Paige then realized he didn't tell her _everything. _

"He did, but why would that make me-"Alexa face fell. "Oh my god, Paige you didn't," Alexa said as she stood from the bench.

"He came onto me one night at the club when I was drunk, I said no but when I woke up the next morning he was next to me," she said as she held her hands up.

"And you didn't think to tell me?" Alexa said as she threw her hands in the air. "You sat here and watched me stress out about the way he was treating me and you slept with him."

"He asked me not to tell you, he told me he had never cheated on you before and he had made a huge mistake," she pleaded.

"Yeah well he lied to both of us," Alexa said as she left the divas locker room.

Alexa stormed in the locker room that The Shield was occupying for tonight. Without acknowledging the other two members she stomped over to Dean, raised her right hand and slapped him as hard as she could.

"Paige Dean? You weren't happy fucking random club bitches, you had to go and fuck my friend as well?" she yelled as she felt Seth's hand on her shoulder. "I hate you Dean Ambrose," she gave him a look of disgust before exiting the locker room as fast as she entered.

Roman followed her out into the hallway and watched as she paced back and forth, clenching and unclenching her fists.

"He asked me to come check on you," Roman said as she leaned on the wall next to the door and crossed his arms.

"I want to hurt him Roman," she said as she stopped her pacing and look at the man standing in front of her. "It hurt me to know that he was sleeping with random women but my friend? How could he? How could she?" For the first time since this new information came to surface she began to cry, she leaned her back against the wall, sliding down to the floor.

Roman was about to walk over to her when the locker room door opened and Dean came out into the hallway, staring at Alexa when he saw her sitting on the floor. He walked over to her and squatted down in front of her.

"Are you happy?" she said as she looked up into his eyes. "Was I that horrible of a person that you had to go and put me through all of this?" she said quietly.

Dean reached forward and brushed a tear off of her face and Alexa was too tired to stop him, "You aren't a horrible person at all. And no I'm not happy about anything that I did. I was, and still am, a shitty person."

Roman watched as Dean talked to Alexa, he had to swallow his jealousy at the sight of his hands on her and he realized that even though they had been hiding their feelings for months now it was incredibly hard for him to control them right now.

"I really want us to be able to pull through this, and I know that sounds selfish and I know I'm asked for a lot but I can't lose you," Dean said. "My actions don't reflect how much I love you but you're my world Alexa. You saved me when I had nowhere to go."

Alexa took a deep breath and looked down at the floor, "And you had to go and ruin it all. It was supposed to be you and me forever Dean and you threw it all away," Alexa stood up from her spot on the floor. "There is no chance for us."

"Please don't say that," Dean said as he took his hand in hers. "Don't shut me out, please," he pleaded. When he realized she was about to pull her hand from his he pulled her to his chest and crushed his lips onto hers.

Alexa shoved at his chest until she felt Dean being pulled away from her, she looked up and saw Roman in front of her staring at Dean who was leaning against the wall Roman had vacated.

"Touch her again and I'll do more than just shove you into a wall," Roman seethed.

"This has nothing to do with you Roman," Dean said as he pushed off the wall and stood chest to chest with him.

Roman ran his hand through his hair and took a deep breath, he wanted to tell this little prick that Alexa was his girlfriend and this had everything to do with him now. One glance at the broken tear stained girl behind him he knew telling him anything would make things harder on her right now, "I know it doesn't but don't you think you've done enough man? You told her what you did, you told her you love her, and she just found out you slept with her friend. Let her have time to process everything."


	6. Slip Away

"_So what are you going to do?" Jake asked as his sister finished telling him all about the events of the past two days. _

"_I'm going to go back Ohio, going back to work and living my life," Alexa answered. _

"_You can't just shut him out Alexa," Jake said. "As bad as I want to smash his face into the pavement right now I have to say; he's almost family. He's lived with us for most of his life, mom and Tyler aren't just going to stop letting him come around. They might give him the cold shoulder for a few days but he's not going to just go away."_

_Alexa sighed, "I should have left his ass on that bench that night."_

_Jake shook his head, "Now you know you couldn't have done that if you tried. Please don't let this experience lead you to believe that there is something wrong with you. You're a wonderful person, with a huge heart. Don't fault yourself for caring too much for one person; you had no idea things were going to end like this."_

_Alexa shook her head and took a deep breath, "Out of everything that happened these past few months I can say that I'm blessed to have found Roman. He makes me feel things that I haven't ever felt."_

"_I just want you to be careful; don't jump into a relationship so quick. Give the end of you and Dean time to sink in."_

"_We're already together," Alexa said. _

* * *

Alexa took a deep breath as she pulled into the driveway of her mother's home in Cincinnati, Ohio. She had gotten back into town late last night when she received a call from her mother asking her to come over after work Monday evening. Alexa took a deep breath, she desperately did not want to tell her mother she and Dean had come to an end; she especially didn't want to share the reason behind the split either. Alexa put the car in park before turning the key and killing the engine. She pulled the handle on the door, grabbing her purse from the passenger seat before exiting the car. She brushed down her brown trousers, fixed her white v-neck shirt, and straightened her cream blazer before putting one white Jimmy Choo in front of the other and making her way into her mother's house.

"Mom, I'm here," she said as she tossed her keys on the table in the foyer and hung her purse on the provided hooks. The home that Alexa had spent more than half her life in was nothing less than perfect, complete with five bedrooms, three and a half baths, 3 sitting rooms, two offices, a dining room, a kitchen, and an in ground pool with a pool house to go with it – definitely an upgrade from the two bedroom trailer they had lived in with Alexa's piece of shit father.

"We're in here honey," she heard her mom's voice from the kitchen.

_We? _Alexa began walking in the direction of the kitchen; stopping in her tracks at the sight of her mother sitting at one of the four stools by the island and sipping something out of a mug with Dean.

"I didn't know Dean had come home too," Alexa's scowl softened when she turned her head in the direction of her mother. Alexa was a carbon copy of her mother, the only difference between the two was the aging in their facial features, and her mother had her blonde hair cut into a short bob.

Alexa remember Roman telling her that he and the guys weren't scripted for RAW today and that SmackDown was being recorded tomorrow at the US Bank Arena right here in Cincinnati – she should have known he was going to come around here.

"It must have slipped my mind," Alexa said as she shook her head and finally answered her mom. "Being off for a week and then going back to work today has me completely thrown off."

"How was your vacation?"

Alexa and Dean locked eyes with each other as Alexa replied, "It was eventful."

"Did you get to go to Disney?"

Alexa smiled, "Yes I did, you know I wouldn't pass up an opportunity to go there."

"You lost another chance to propose to her," her mother said as she nudged Dean's shoulder. Dean had grown with no parents, no family – until he met Alexa. Not only did he fall in love with Alexa but he became a member of her family as well. Alexa's mom, or Ms. Diane - as Dean called her when he first moved in – raised Dean, she fed him, made sure he had clean clothes, made sure he went to school, and cared for him just as much as she did her own two children.

"I promise I won't miss out next time," he smiled in Diane's direction.

Alexa shook her head, "Mom, there's something-"

"I'm starving," Dean said as she stood from the bar stool and rubbed his stomach. "How about we go out to eat? My treat, all three of us."

"Oh, that sounds wonderful," Diane said as she too slid from her bar stool. "Let me go freshen up real quick," she smiled before making her way out of the kitchen.

"What in the hell are you doing here?" Alexa asked.

"I'm visiting the woman that raised me," he answered. "I always do when I'm in town."

Alexa took a deep breath, "I have to tell her Dean."

He shook his head, "I know you do. Can we just have one night out? You can tell her when we get back, we can tell her together."

Alexa looked at Dean and rolled her eyes, "Fine. But don't touch me at all. We don't have to tell her but we're not acting like we're together either."

Dean shook his head, "If that's what you want Alexa."

Alexa rolled her eyes once more before leaving the kitchen, heading for the foyer. She pulled her purse off of the hook and dug her phone out of it.

She slid the unlock button and opened her text message, **'Please tell me you're in town.' **

'**I will be in about an hour. Is everything okay?' **Alexa read before hearing her mom and Dean making their way toward her. She tossed her phone back in her purse and put in on her shoulder.

"I'll drive," Dean smiled. The three of them made their way out to what Alexa was assuming was Dean's rental car.

"Why do you still have a rental?" she question as she pulled her back passenger door open.

"I don't have to return it until tomorrow morning," he answered before pulling the driver door open and climbing in.

Once inside the car Alexa pulled her phone back out and replied to Roman, **'I'm fine. Went to my moms and Dean was there.'**

'**How did that go?' **Alexa read as the car reversed out of her mother's driveway.

'**He's taking us to dinner. I'm telling her before we leave the restaurant.' **

'**I knew he was up to something,' **Alexa's eyebrows pulled together as she read Roman's text.

'**What do you mean?' **

'**We're off all week. He said he was going to use family time to get you back.'**

'**Not happening.' **Alexa replied as Dean pulled into the parking lot of a fancy Italian place that they usually went to.

* * *

The three walked in and were taken to their usual table in the back of the restaurant, Alexa was thankful she ended up in the same booth with her mom while Dean was across from them.

"I think I'm going to get the chicken parm tonight," Alexa said as her eyes skimmed the menu.

Diane and Dean both gave Alexa looks of surprise, "But you usually get the penne vodka," Diane said to her daughter.

"I'm trying new things," Alexa said, hoping the double meaning didn't go over Dean's head.

A few minutes of silence passed as the three looked at the menus, deciding what they wanted and placing their order with the waitress. Dinner went smooth, Alexa let herself pretend nothing was different and the three of them talked, joked, and ate their dinner in peace. As Dean handed his credit card to the waitress Alexa's stomach began doing flips; she knew her mom was not going to be happy about anything that Alexa was going to have to tell her.

"So mom, before we leave there's something that I would really like to talk to you about," Alexa said as she caught Dean looking at her.

"There's something **we **would like to talk to you about," Dean corrected.

Alexa looked at Dean surprised, she couldn't tell if he was trying to cover his ass or if he was really going to step-up and own-up to what he did.

"Dean and I broke up last week," she said.

Diane's hand immediately went from her lap to covering her mouth in shock.

"I…we…he," Alexa stuttered.

"I was unfaithful," Dean finished, seeing that Alexa's nerves weren't going to allow her to tell her mom why.

Diane's eyes widened, "How could you?"

Dean shook his head, "I was stupid. I went from living everyday with Alexa by my side to only seeing her three or four times a month. I needed to find a way to cope."

"Can we go home please? This is not something I want to discuss in the middle of a restaurant," she said as she stood from the booth.

Alexa slid out and followed her mom out of the restaurant, Dean slid is card back into his wallet and follow the two women out.

* * *

"You know the day Alexa brought you home with her I knew the two of you were destined to be with one another," Diane spoke as the car began moving. "My daughter had been through so much in the beginning of her life I wasn't sure that she was ever going to open up and let a man in. Seeing the two of you together made that fear go away; I can't believe you would throw that all away to lay-up with someone else."

Alexa took a deep breath, she wanted to tell her mom that there was more than one and one of those girls was someone she called a friend but she knew her mom was mad enough at Dean right now and she didn't need all the details.

"When you walked in my house today," Diane said as she looked at her daughter through the mirror in the visor. "I couldn't even tell that anything was different. You are so strong and you make me so proud. Some man will treasure everything about you; maybe that man will be Dean and maybe it won't but I promise you – you will find your happily ever after."

"I really need the both of you to know that I love Alexa," Dean began. "I know what I did was fucked up, I know I'm a bad person, and I shouldn't have another chance but I also promise that I'm going to change. I'm going to be everything that Alexa deserves and I won't stop trying until she gives me another chance," Dean turned into the driveway and put the car in park. "You can fight it all you want and try to convince yourself and everyone around you that you hate me but every time I look in your eyes I see that it's all a front. You still love me. And I'll do everything in my power to never let that look slip away."


	7. Promise Me

Alexa impatiently knocked on the door in front of her, brushing past the person and into the room the second it opened wide enough for her to fit through. She threw her purse and keys onto the bed and paced back and forth.

Roman quietly watched his girlfriend as he took a seat on the edge of the bed; he knew something had happened with Dean at dinner. Pacing back and forth was Alexa's way of gathering her thoughts and either thinking about what to do or how to tell Roman without making him want to bash Dean's head in.

"Do I look like I still love Dean?" she blurted as she turned to face him.

"Right now you look angry," Roman said. "Want to tell me what happened tonight?"

"He was just there when I showed up," Alexa plopped down on the bed next to Roman. "I mean, when you told me you guys were coming here I knew he'd stop there; he always does. But he was having tea with my mom like nothing happened."

"Maybe he's in denial," Roman said. "He's convinced that the two of you will be back together before we head back on the road."

"He's also convinced that every time he looks in my eyes he can see that I still love him," Alexa sighed.

"Do you?"

Alexa stood from the bed, "Yes…No…I don't know," she ran her hand through her hair. "He was a big part of my life. He's practically part of my family. I love him for those reasons but I know I'm not in love with him anymore. I can't be."

Roman stood from the bed and walked over to Alexa, placing his hands on her shoulders, "It's okay to still feel something for him Alexa. Like you said, he was a big part of your life and cutting him out of it completely doesn't mean that you can just turn the love you had for him off," Roman said. "Now, that being said –I'm not letting you go without a fight, so don't let him get in your head and make you think the two of you still need to be together," Roman pushed a piece of hair out of Alexa's face.

Alexa nodded her head, "He's not going to make me think that because I already know that I should be with you."

"That's why you _are _with me," he smiled.

Alexa smiled as she stood on her tippy toes and gently kissed Roman, "I forgot to tell you that I've missed you."

"Yeah, you kind of left that part out when you came in here on your little rant," he joked.

The sound of a knock on the door caused both Roman and Alexa to look in the direction of the noise.

"Are you expecting someone?" Alexa whispered.

"No," Roman said as he let go of Alexa. "Seth has his own room for the night and I told him I was going to bed," Roman said as he walked to the door and looked through the peephole. "Shit, its Dean."

"Come on man," he heard him say from the other side. "I know you're in there. Seth said you're being a little bitch and staying in. Let's go party while I'm still a single man."

Alexa rolled her eyes and stuck her middle finger up at the door.

Roman laughed as he walked back to her, "Go wait in the bathroom and I'll get rid of him. If you close the door you can give it the middle finger as well."

Alexa smiled as she grabbed her purse and keys before she turned to walk to the bathroom, stopping when Roman gently pulled her arm. He leaned down and kissed Alexa deeply before pulling away and kissing her nose. He gave her a gently pat on her butt signaling her to go into the bathroom.

Once Roman saw the bathroom door shut and heard the lock click he pulled open the hotel room door, making sure to give a yawn to make his sleeping story look believable.

"Damn, you really are an old man," he said as he brushed past him and into the hotel room. "It's your first night in my hometown, we have to go out."

"We're here all week man," Roman said.

"Yeah, but who knows how long I'll be a single man for. I think getting Alexa might be a little easier to convince than I thought."

Roman had to fight to hold back at the smirk from the thought of the gestures Alexa was probably throwing Dean through the bathroom door. "What makes you think that?"

"Come on man, we were together for a long time. I know what she likes, I know what she wants and I have her family."

"But you cheated on her," Roman dryly replied. "What makes you think the loneliness won't win this time around."

"Because I've been with enough women to know that none of them compare to Alexa. I love her man and all that shit I did was a mistake – I'm not just saying that because the truth is out. They were all mistakes and I wish I had said no to every one of them."

"One of them being Paige – one of Alexa's close friends. You not only ruined your relationship but you have ruined that friendship as well," Roman replied.

"I know that's why on Thursday we're having a little get together at Alexa's parent's house and I invited Paige. The two of them need to talk," Dean said.

Roman shook his head, "Well good luck with all of that."

"Do you think she's seeing someone else already?" Dean randomly asked.

"I don't know, I don't really talk to her like that," Roman lied. "Why do you ask?"

"She was texting on her phone a lot when we were in the car," he replied. "It could have been anyone though. She wouldn't be dating this soon after our split."

"What would you do if she was? Would you stop with all your winning-her-back plans?"

Dean shook his head, "Absolutely not. There's no man on the planet that is right for Alexa's besides me."

Roman nodded his head not in agreement like he had hoped Dean thought but in acknowledgement; he had no response to Dean's remark that wouldn't blow he and Alexa's cover.

"You're really going to stay in for the night?" Dean said as he stood up.

"Yeah, I'll meet up with you guys at the gym tomorrow morning though," he said as he followed Dean to the door.

Dean shook his head, "See you in the morning," he said as he pulled the door open and left.

Roman locked both locks on the door as Dean Left, watching him walk down the hallway through the peephole. "The coast is clear," he said as he saw Dean turn the corner. Roman walked over to the couch and sat down on it, watching as Alexa pulled open the bathroom door.

Alexa plopped down on the couch next to Roman, "That asshole is so cocky I just want to punch him in his face. I can't believe he's trying to ambush me with Paige."

Roman held his finger up, "That one I think you should really wave the white flag on. She is not herself since you found out and I think she knows what she did was wrong."

Alexa took a deep breath, "I guess I can do that. It would also be funny to see Dean's face when I forgive her and not him."

Roman laughed, "I'm assuming that you picked up these sadistic ways from being with Dean for so many years."

Alexa smiled, "I know a thing or two," she laughed. "So are you going to come Friday?"

"Do you want me to?"

Alexa nodded her head, "I _need _you to. You're my rock Roman, I just feel safe when you're around."

"Yeah," Roman said. "It's the muscles," he said as he flexed his left arm and kissed his bicep.

Alexa laughed as she put her hand on his arm and pushed it down, "That and I know how you feel about me. I should have sworn off men after all of this, my trust in men should be completely diminished but it's not. I have you and I truly believe that you won't hurt me like he did; not intentionally anyway."

Roman took Alexa's hand in his, "I will never hurt you and I promise that I will put you above everything."

"Just promise me something," Alexa said.

"Anything."

"Promise me that you won't aide Dean in his attempts to get me back. If he involves you I don't want you thinking that you have to back out of what you and I have because of him."

Roman shook his head, "First of all, I wasn't going to help him. He's on his own with this one. Second, nothing is going to make me 'back out' of what you and I have. Besides, he's not getting you back; ever."


	8. Let It Go

Alexa rolled over in bed and smiled at the site next to her. She and Roman had spent almost every available minute of the past two days they could find together, she spent the night in his hotel room and left early to get ready for work in the morning. Most nights were spent in the hotel room pigging out on room service, watching movies, and enjoying each other's company. Alexa wanted nothing more than to show Roman her hometown and her home but the risk of running into Dean was too high. Especially since it seemed like he was around every corner Alexa turned, at the grocery store, at the gas station, and of course her mother's house. She had probably seen Dean more these past few days than she had seen him in the past two years.

Today was the day of the wonderful family cookout Dean was throwing, Alexa had off work and all she wanted to do was stay locked in the hotel room with Roman all day long.

"Did your mother ever teach you that staring was rude?" Roman smirked, keeping his eyes closed.

"How can I not stare? Have you seen you lately?" Alexa smirked in return. The two had also used their time together to get acquainted with one another; VERY acquainted. Each time she and Roman shared something intimate Alexa felt herself falling harder and harder for him. The man was very talented.

Roman laughed before opening his eyes, "So, are you ready for today?"

Alexa let out a groan and plopped her head back onto her pillow, "I don't want to go to this thing. Can't we just hide out here?"

Roman shook his head, "I'd say yes but Dean invited me and if I didn't show he'd come looking for me. Finding you naked in my bed with that sexy morning hair wouldn't help his ego at all."

"Let's just tell them all today," Alexa said.

"Alexa, we talked about this. Just give it until after the next pay-per-view. The Shield is ending and I won't have to be with him all day every day."

Alexa sighed as she sat up in bed, hugging the sheet to her chest and flung her legs around the edge, "Fine."

"Hey," he said as he gently took her hand before she could stand up. "Don't shut down on me here."

"Do you want this to be exclusive? Or am I going to be your little secret forever?"

"Look at me," he said, getting Alexa's attention enough for her to glance at him over at him. "You should know the answers to both of those questions. I want us to be together, I want the world to know, and I want this to be forever. I also don't want to lose my job for beating a co-worker senseless for making some smartass comment about my girlfriend. Dean and I are together almost every day and we need to be stable in order to do our jobs properly. He's going to attack both of us once the truth is out and I want to be able to protect you when he does," Roman pulled Alexa's hand a little bit, pulling her back onto her back on the bed. "You can't go looking for things that are wrong for our relationship either. No shutting me out like you just tried to do."

Alexa shook her head, "I don't want to lose you."

Roman shook his head, "You're not going to. I promise," Roman leaned down and captured Alexa's lips in his, the second his hand landed on her bare breasts the two heard a knock at the door.

"Who is that?" Alexa whispered.

"I have no idea," Roman said as he got off the bed and slid on a pair of boxers and made his way to the door. "It's Seth," he said after looking in the peephole. He took a second to gaze at Alexa before speaking, "You want to tell someone about us since you don't want to be a secret? Here's your chance, get dressed." Roman tossed a t-shirt in Alexa's direction, "One second!" he shouted in the direction of the door. After watching Alexa slip on her leggings and his t-shirt he pulled the door open and let Seth in. Roman watch as Seth walked in, stopping in his tracks at the sight of Alexa on Roman's bed.

Seth glanced behind him and then back in Alexa's direction, "Okay, for a second I thought that I went to Dean's room by mistake. What's going on here?"

"She and I are together," Roman said, not taking his eyes off of a very fidgety Alexa. He knew she wasn't ready for their secret to come out. That was the real reason he told her no when she suggested letting everyone at the party know. She wasn't handling telling Seth the truth, there was no way she was going to be able to tell her family the news – she definitely wasn't ready for Dean to know. "It's been going on for almost five months now."

Seth's eyes widened, "You guys were doing this behind Dean's back?"

"I need to go," Alexa said as she hurried off the bed and gathered her things from around the room.

Roman slowly approached her and put both hands on her arms, "Take a deep breath. You're going to work yourself into a panic attack," Roman watched as Alexa took a deep breath and locked her eyes with his.

"I wasn't judging you guys when I asked if you were doing it behind Dean's back," Seth said. "The man did you really dirty Alexa and I'm honestly surprised you haven't thrown you and Roman's relationship in his face already."

Alexa shook her head, "I want to. But it's going to be bad."

Seth nodded in agreement, "It's going to be horrible. I don't think we've even gotten a glimpse at how psycho Dean Ambrose can be. But that doesn't mean that you don't deserve to be happy and who the fuck cares if it's with Roman? Dean used Paige to distract him for one night and bragged about how easy it was to bag your best friend for the whole day the next day."

"What he did with Paige and what she and I are doing are completely different," Roman said.

"I can see that, the way you just looked at her told me everything. Every night you said you were getting your own room, or going for a walk, the constant texting, and the late night calls in the bathroom – it all makes sense now."

"You don't think we're bad people?" Alexa asked as Roman finally let go of her arms.

Seth shook his head, "I could never think that. You and I may not be close anymore, and that's mainly because Dean kept you locked up every time you've been around recently, but I know how nice of a person you are Alexa. No one deserves to be treated that way but especially not you. You've been there for Dean through it all and he slapped you in your face and threw everything away but here you are with Roman, ready to give your heart up all over again; that takes a lot of strength. I'm sure you can handle whatever Dean throws at here but I'm here for you – both of you –whatever you need me to do."

"Thanks man," Roman smiled.

"That being said, I came here to let you know that Dean would like us to meet him at Ms. Diane's house in a few hours to help set up and get everything ready," Seth said. "Unfortunately you still have to play the role of his friend until the two of you let out this secret so you can't back out."

Roman shook his head, "I'll meet you there around 12," he said after glancing at the clock and seeing it was ten in the morning.

Seth nodded his head, "I'll see you guys later then."

Roman walked Seth to the door after Alexa said goodbye to him, he shut and locked the door after he walked out and turned to Alexa.

"So, do you see why it's not a good idea to let this out right now?" he asked. "What had you so shook up?"

"I felt like Seth was judging me," Alexa said as she looked down at the floor, holding back her tears. "I don't want to labeled as a whore, or the girl who hooked up with her ex's friend out of spite. I know hooking up behind his back – regardless of everything he did –was wrong but I was only with one person, I bet he doesn't even know how many he was with," Alexa looked back up a Roman, her cheeks stained with tears. "I want people to know that I'm crazy about you; I'm not just with you for revenge."

Roman took quick strides to make his way over to Alexa and pulled her into his arms, holding her against his chest, "I know it's not just for revenge and eventually the world will know as well. You can't be afraid of people judging you because no matter what they are all going to talk about how you and I got together. The only thing that matters at the end of the day is what you and I know. We know we're crazy about each other, we know why we're together, and we know that Dean's infidelities didn't aide in our decision to be together."

Alexa took a deep breath and pulled back from Roman, "See, this is why I always say you're my rock. You can talk me down from anything and change my whole view on it."

"I'd change the world for you if it would keep that smile on your face," Roman said.

"Can you change the fact that this 'gathering' is happening today?" Alexa smiled.

"I wish," Roman smiled. "But at least we can being near each other all day and then come back here tonight and make fun of everything Dean said and did."

Alexa smiled before taking a deep breath, "I should really get going, I have a few errands to run and I have to get ready for this thing."

Roman shook his head as he let go of Alexa, "I'll see you around one."

Alexa nodded her head, "If you're with Dean you'll be seeing me from afar; very afar."


	9. Already Moved On

Alexa walked into her mother's home, stopping in the foyer to give herself a once over in the long mirror. She had opted to look semi-casual since she had no idea what this gathering was all about; she was wearing a pair of light teal skinny jeans, a white razor back tank top with a gray open sweater over top of it, and matching gray boots that came up to the top of her calves. She accessorized with a teal necklace and a gray clutch purse. She ran a hand over her blonde hair which she had straightened and left down, Alexa took a deep breath before heading further into the house.

As she approached one of the living rooms – the one her mother referred to as the gathering room – she saw quite a few people lingering around the room and making small talk with one another. Most people were friends of hers and friends of the family. The sound of a familiar song playing softly on the speaker caught her attention and she couldn't help but roll her eyes when she realized Dean had opted to have Disney songs playing.

"I told him it was a stupid idea," Roman sad as he leaned on the doorframe next to Alexa.

"I see he didn't listen," she said as she sighed, continuing to look around the room.

"Is there ever a time you don't look fucking amazing?" Roman smiled as he looked Alexa up and down.

Alexa smirked and glanced in his direction, "You better watch it or we may just have to disappear upstairs."

"I wasn't aware that was an option," he whispered before Dean approached the two of them.

"How long have you been here?" he asked as he stopped in front of her.

"Oh, just a few minutes. You play Disney songs at your gatherings now?" she said as she pointed in the general direction of the room.

Dean shrugged, "I'm playing it for you."

Alexa sighed, "I'm going to go find my mom," she said before walking away.

"This is going to be harder than I thought," Dean said as he turned and watched her walk away.

Roman shook his head, "Glad you're finally seeing that."

"What do I do if none of this works?"

Roman shrugged, "Let it go, I guess."

Dean took a deep breath, "That's not an option, this has to work."

"Dinner is served," one of the servants announced, ushering everyone to have a seat in the dining room.

Alexa was guided to her chair which was on the side of her mom who sat at the head of the table. Dean was on Alexa's right and Jake was across from her with Roman next to him. Dinner went on with no disagreements, they all ate and discussed random things and plans for the upcoming weeks. Just when Alexa thought she was going to get out of this gathering without being completely ambushed by Dean he stood from his chair and tapped his spoon on the side of his wine glass, gaining everyone's attention.

Alexa took a deep breath and glanced at her boyfriend from across the table, his full attention was on Alexa just like it had been all night.

"I just want to take a minute tonight to say thank you to everyone for coming out. It's not often I get to come home for a week so it's very nice to see all of you once in a while," Dean paused as a few people raised their glasses to him before taking a sip from them. "As most of you know Alexa and I have been together just about our whole lives and I plan making sure that we spend the rest of our lives together. I gathered everyone here tonight let you all know," Dean turned to Alexa. "I'm going to ask Alexa for her hand in marriage. I'm not going to do it now," he said as he turned his attention back to his guests. "If you know Alexa you know how her dream proposal goes so she and I are flying out to Florida tonight so I can make that dream come true tomorrow morning."

Alexa had heard enough, she pushed her chair back from the table and rushed out of the room.

A few seconds after her departure Dean made eye contact with Roman, signaling him to go and check on her. Roman made quick work of getting out of his chair and heading in the direction Alexa had disappeared to.

"I'm sure she's just excited," he smiled at everyone.

Roman slowly climbed the stairs of Alexa and Dean's childhood home. As he reached the top stair he made his way towards the door that was cracked open a little bit, he gently pushed it open and found his girlfriend lying on her stomach hugging her pillow as she cried her eyes out. He closed the door behind him before walking to the bed and slowly sitting down next to her. He placed at hand on her back and rubbed it.

"I want to tell them Roman," she said. "I want to tell everyone right now. I don't want to leave with him tonight. The only way I'm going to be able to put a stop to this is if we tell him about us."

Roman took a deep breath and nodded his head in agreement.

"How can he think this is okay?" she said as a fresh set of tears began to fall again. "He can't give me my dream proposal after everything that had happened and think it's going to make it all better. Did you know about this part of his plan?"

Roman shook his head no.

Alexa rolled onto her side and pulled Roman down next to her so he was lying on his side facing her, "Why are you so quiet?"

"I feel like I was close to losing you just now," Roman said.

Alexa shook her head, "I don't understand."

Roman took his thumbs and wiped the tears from underneath Alexa's eyes, "He's getting ready to take you to your favorite place in the world and give you your dream. And I'm sitting across the table just watching it all happen, I could say anything, I couldn't stand up for you, and I couldn't tell him to shut the hell up."

"Well we're going downstairs and changing all of that," she said as she stood from the bed. She checked herself in the mirror, patting her cheeks a few times in attempt to make it look less puffy and blotchy.

Roman shook his head as he stood from the bed, "Alexa, I just need you to promise me something," he said getting Alexa to turn and look at him. "If he says anything to you don't let it change your mind about us. If he and I come to blows about this I want you to leave."

"I'm not leaving here without you," she said.

"Please don't be stubborn about this," he said. "Just promise me."

Alexa gave in and shook her head, "I promise."

Dean glanced over at the entryway to the dining room when movement caught his eye. The smile on his face faltered into a look of confusion at the sight of Roman and Alexa re-entering the room, holding hands.

Alexa cleared her throat, "Excuse me," she said, gaining everyone's attention. "I'm sorry for my departure earlier, I was a bit overwhelm and blindsided by Dean's announcement," Alexa took a deep breath as she held Roman's hand tighter. "You see, what Dean forgot to tell you guys it that he and I are no longer together," Alexa heard a few gasps from people in the room. "He cheated on me – many times – and we ended it about a week ago," Alexa's eyes focused back on Dean. "I'm not going to Florida with you," she said as she shook her head. "I'm not going to marry you Dean; I'm not even going to get back together with you." Alexa's eyes moved to her mom's, smiling when she saw her release what seemed like a breath of relief Alexa continued, "I've already moved on. I have for about the past five months now; with Roman."


	10. It Happens

Alexa paced back and forth in Roman's hotel room, walking from the bed to the couch and then back to the bed. She had been doing this for so long that she was sure she was going to make a hole in the ground. The recent events that had just occurred at her mother's house play over and over again.

_Alexa watched as Dean clenched and unclenched his fists, "The two of you have been creeping around behind my back for the past five months?"_

"_Yes Dean and as wrong as we were you have no room to tell us that we're wrong after everything you have done," she calmly replied._

_Dean quickly made his way over to Roman, so close that their noses were almost touching, "You've been screwing my girlfriend," he seethed._

"_We never had sex while you and I was together Dean," Alexa said. "The first time we had sex was when we ended things."_

"_I should bash your face in now you piece of shit," Dean said, ignoring Alexa._

_Roman glanced over at Alexa, "Remember what I said," after seeing Alexa nod her head he turned his attention back to Dean. "Please do, I have been waiting months to beat the shit out of you for the way you treated her for months."_

_Alexa thought that Dean was going to have a comeback for Roman's response but she watch as his fist quickly collided with the side of Roman's face. Roman snapped his head back in Dean's direction, "Alexa you need to go now." Alexa stood there for a few seconds, she really didn't want to leave them here to beat each other up. "Alexa please, you promised."_

_Alexa nodded her head; she took one more glance at Roman before quickly exiting the dining room._

It had been almost thirty minutes since she left Roman at her mom's house. She hadn't heard from her mom, or Roman, or even Dean for that matter. To say she was starting to worry would be an understatement. She definitely couldn't sit in this hotel room anymore, she quickly grabbed her purse and phone and quickly made her way to the door and quickly pulled it open; surprised to see Roman standing there getting ready to insert his key card into the slot.

"Oh my god," Alexa said as she flung her arms around him. "I have been so worried."

Roman lifted her off her feet and brought the two of them into the hotel room, closing the door behind them. Alexa pushed herself down to her feet and studied Roman's face; he had a tiny bruise forming on the cheek where Dean's first hit landed and there was another bruise forming underneath his right eye.

"You guys really fought?"

"Yeah Alexa," Roman said as she made his way to the bed, wincing as he sat down.

Alexa made her way to Roman and slowly lifted his shirt, gently pressing a hand on his right ribs –she flinched as she watched Roman flinch.

"I don't understand, my mom wouldn't allow that in her house," she said.

"We took it out back," he replied. "It needed to happen Alexa."

Alexa shook her head, "No you should have left with me. You didn't have to fight him, what did that prove?"

Roman quickly stood from the bed, ignoring the pain in his ribs, "It proved that I'm not going to let you go without a fight. It proved that he can't treat you the way that he does and gets away with it. It proved that he shouldn't even bother to get back together much less even bother speaking to you. I'm sick of him."

Alexa sighed, "I don't think a fight was needed to prove any of that."

"Why are you so against me beating his ass Alexa? Are you mad that I may have broken his nose? Do you want to cry because both of his eyes are black? Would you like to run and check on the busted lip I've given him?"

Alexa took a step back from Roman; she couldn't believe that he was angry with her. Alexa pulled her purse back onto her shoulder, "No Roman, maybe I was just worried that my boyfriend was going to end up in the hospital or jail tonight. Maybe I've been locked in the hotel room wondering if you were okay. Or maybe I just care about you too fucking much," Alexa quickly made her way out of the hotel room, not looking back at Roman.

Alexa pulled up to her condo and rolled her eyes at the sight of the man sitting on her front steps, she had contemplated turning her car around and going back to Roman's hotel room but she was too angry with him to even see him at the moment. Alexa parked her car and grabbed her purse before getting out of the car, she closed her car door and clicked the lock button her remote before walking to her front door.

"Why are you here Dean?" she questioned as she approached the man who was now standing in front of her.

"This is for real?"

Alexa looked at Dean confused, "If you're asking me if you and I being over is real; yes. If you're asking me if you ruined every chance of you and I being together even again; yes. If you're asking me if Roman and I are really together; yes. Everything I said tonight is true and I meant every word of it. We're done Dean; you hurt me way too much to ever go back."

"Why Roman?" Dean questioned. "It could have been any other man, why did it have to be my friend?"

"Why Paige Dean? You had enough girls, why did it have to be my friend?"

"That was just sex Alexa, I didn't start a relationship with Paige," Dean said.

Alexa took a deep breath, "None of this matters now, it's over, everything is done. You need to grasp the fact that we're not getting back together," Alexa began to walk past Dean to get into her condo.

Dean reached out and grabbed Alexa's arm, stopping her, "We're not over. I will fight for you. I will show you that Roman is not the man for you. You and I were always meant to be and I'll make damn sure that it happens."


	11. Shut the Hell Up

Alexa wrenched her arm from Dean's grasp, "That is never going to happen Dean," she said as turned back towards the door to her condo, shoving her key in the lock. She was both surprised and relieved that she made it inside without Dean saying anything else to her. Alexa sighed as she dropped her keys and purse on the floor before falling to her knees and sobbing into her hands. Today was most definitely at the top of her list of the worst days ever; she had almost been taken to Disney for her dream proposal that she would have had to turn down, her relationship with Roman was now out in the open, Roman and Dean fought, Roman was mad at her for a reason not even Alexa knew, and now Dean was promising that he wasn't going to make moving on easy for her. After a few seconds of wallowing in self pity Alexa pulled herself off of the floor and slowly made her way upstairs to her bedroom. She quickly stripped out of her clothes and into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt before climbing into bed and pulling the blankets all the way up over her head. She let out a frustrated groan when she realized she left her phone downstairs but opted not to go down and get it; it wasn't like Roman was going to try to get a hold of her.

The feeling of two arms around her waist caused Alexa's eyes to fly open and her to jump quickly out of bed.

"What's wrong?" Alexa turned to see Roman laying in her bed, shirtless and propped up on his elbow and yawning.

"How are you here? You don't know where I live," Alexa questioned as she looked down at him.

"I know," Roman sighed. "I called you a million times yesterday to find out what your address was; when you didn't answer I started to worry so I went to your mom's house. Your brother gave me your address and told me where you keep the spare key," he explained.

Alexa shook her head, "Why are you here?"

Roman sat up in bed, "I didn't like the way things were when you left my hotel room yesterday. I shouldn't have said any of those things. I was in a bad mood and I took it out on you and I shouldn't have done that."

"You promised me you were never going to treat me the way he did," Alexa replied, fighting back tears. "But yet the second something bothered you, you took it out on me just like he did."

Roman stood from the bed and closed the distance between he and Alexa, "I didn't do it intentionally, a lot happened yesterday. I went from thinking I was going to lose you to fighting my friend for having you in a matter of five minutes. And I know none of that makes what I did right but I want you to know that I promise I will never do it again."

Alexa shook her head as Roman wrapped his arms around her shoulders and she wrapped her arms around his waist.

"I shouldn't have left your hotel room earlier," she said.

"It's okay," he said. "You were hurt, I'm glad you walked away and we didn't have some big fight."

Alexa nodded her head, "But that's not what I was referring to."

Roman pulled back from Alexa and looked down at her, "What happened?"

"Dean was here when I got here," she said. "He asked me if all of this was real and I said yes, tried to tell me I was a bad person for choosing his friend, and he said he wasn't going to make this easy." Alexa looked up at Roman as she finished, he was looking straight ahead and she could see the muscles in his jaw twitching. "I don't want you guys to fight every time you see each other."

"If he would just leave you alone we wouldn't have to," Roman sighed. "Can we just go back to bed?"

Alexa nodded her head as the two of them climbed back into bed.

"I don't want you to go," Alexa said as she clicked the locks on her car door. She had given Roman a ride to the airport and just as she pulled up to the curb to let him out the reality that he was going back on the road and she wouldn't see him for three weeks hit her hard.

"I don't want to go either," he said as she placed his hand on Alexa's cheek placed a soft kiss on her lips.

"Promise to call me every day?" she said softly.

"Every free minute I have," he smiled, he knew she was going to cry the second the word 'goodbye' left her lips and Roman feared that when he saw that first tear fall he'd end up saying fuck his job and stay right in her car with her. "I'll see you the second I get back."

Alexa nodded her head before kissing him again, "Text me when you land."

Roman pulled the lock up on his door, "I promise," he said as he pulled on the handle and pushed the door open. Roman leaned over and kissed her one last time before getting out of the car, shutting the passenger door behind him. He made his way to the trunk and pulled his suitcase and duffle bag out before shutting the trunk and walking towards the entrance. He turned around before entering the doors and waved to Alexa once more. She waved back and blew him a kiss as one tear slid down her cheek.

Alexa took a deep breath as she watched him disappear inside the doors of the airport; she turned forward in her car, locking eyes with Dean Ambrose. He was leaning against the building smoking a cigarette, Alexa knew he had watched everything that had just happened between her and Roman. She quickly wiped the tears from her eyes and put her car into drive. As she pulled away she saw Dean put his cigarette out and make his way into the airport.

This wasn't going to be a fun three weeks for anyone.

Alexa had been on the road for about 20 minutes when her phone rang through her car speakers, she hit the answer button and said, "Hello."

"Hey beautiful," Alexa smiled as the sound of Roman's voice filled her car.

"I wasn't expecting to hear from you until tonight," she smiled.

"Well, I promised to call you every free minute I have and I have nothing to do until it's time to board my plane," Roman said.

Alexa smiled again, "I wish I could go with you."

"Maybe next time," he said. "With the death glare that I'm getting from your ex right now I don't think now is a good time for you to be traveling with me."

"Yeah," Alexa said. "I think he was watching us today out front of the airport. When I went to pull off he was smoking a cigarette and staring right at my car."

"He's such a creep," he said. "Anyways, what are your plans for the week?"

"Work," Alexa said, she had taken a much needed long vacation from her job at the boys and girls home and now that her vacation was over she knew she had to get back.

"I forgot you had a job," he smiled.

"Well being in charge has its perks, taking off whenever I want to is definitely one of them," Alexa's stepfather and mother had opened the children's home she worked in and although she wasn't the head of the place she was still in charge of all of the kids occupying it.

"My flight just got called," Roman said. "I'll call you when I land."

"Okay," she smiled. "Talk to you soon."

"Don't you two just seem like the perfect couple," Dean said as she walked to the boarding gate behind Roman.

"We are Dean," Roman said as he handed the attendant his ticket.

"Yeah, for now," Dean said as he did the same.

Roman shook his head and laugh, "You and Alexa are over man, let it go. She has made it pretty clear that she doesn't want you anymore and I've made it pretty clear that I'm not letting her go."

"You enjoy your little boyfriend-girlfriend-relationship you've got going on here but just remember that when you're ready to take the relationship to another level that I'll be there, standing right in the way. I'll make sure none of her family approves of the two of you. You won't get married. You won't be at family dinners. You don't be at family parties. That part of her life is mine."

Roman shook his head, "I'm sure her brother would beg to differ." Roman found his seat and sat down and since he and Dean were both members of The Shield they were, of course, seated together. Roman was thankful that Seth had appeared at that moment and sat in between him and Dean.

"Man, I can't wait to beat your ass and end this fucking group in two weeks," Dean said as he sat back in his seat and buckled-up."

Roman chuckled, "I'll be sure not to step on your mid-card ass while I'm main-eventing pay-per-views."

"Okay," Seth interjected. "I'm not going to sit in the middle of you two bickering like children for this whole flight. Shut the hell up and keep it to yourselves."


	12. Back Together

Alexa let out a tired sigh as she walked into her home after work, she truly enjoyed working at the children's home but after having to break up four fights she was more than happy to be off for the next three days. It had been three weeks since Alexa had seen Roman; he was due home tomorrow morning; and to say it had been an eventful three weeks would be an understatement.

_Day three of Alexa back at work had proven to be just as tiring as the first two. It was close to seven o' clock when she had arrived home and she made a beeline right for her bed and fallen asleep the second her head hit the pillow. The sound of her cell phone ringing in her purse on the floor next to the bed woke her from her sleep, she glanced at the clock and saw it was close to two in the morning – it was probably Roman calling her. Alexa rolled over and dug her phone from her purse just as it stopped ringing. She unlocked her phone and looked at her missed calls list and saw a number she didn't know. Just as she was about to call the number back and curse them out for calling her at this hour she saw the number pop up on her screen as the phone started ringing again._

"_Hello," she said, not bothering to cover up how tired she sounded._

"_I'm sorry it's so late," she heard Dean's voice say on the other line. "Please don't hang up."_

_Alexa rolled her eyes and plopped down onto her back, "This better be good."_

"_I just couldn't sleep, I needed to hear your voice," he said._

_Alexa couldn't stop the laugh that escaped her mouth, "That's new. You sure went to sleep fine with those other women."_

"_Please Alexa; I don't want to get into that right now. I've had a horrible week so far."_

_Roman had called Alexa yesterday in a foul mood after a meeting with creative. They had told him, Dean, and Seth that they just weren't ready to split the team up yet. In fact, they had wanted the exact opposite. After some events that were set to unfold in the next few weeks creative needed The Shield to be closer than ever –worst timing ever. Dean and Roman were both against the idea but once Stephanie McMahon made her final decision there was no changing it. _

_Alexa shook her head, "That has nothing to do with me."_

"_It has everything to do with you," he said calmly. "I can't get the sight of you and Roman in the car together at the airport out of my head. The way you looked at him. The way you kissed him. The way you didn't want him to leave. That used to be us; you used to feel that way about me."_

_Alexa sighed, "I did Dean; I __**did**__," Alexa made sure to stress the word 'did' as much as she could._

"_Seeing that was a slap in the face, I fucked everything up and you're gone," he said. "I just wish it wasn't Roman that took you from me."_

_Alexa let out another long sigh, "Roman didn't take me from you. You pushed me away by sleeping with countless women while we were together; one of those women being my best friend."_

_Before Dean could say anything back Alexa's call waiting beeped, she pulled her phone away from her ear and saw Roman's name pop-up, "Look, I have to take this other call. Good luck with everything Dean," she said before she clicked over to the other line, hanging up on Dean. "Hey baby," she smiled._

"_Hey babygirl, I'm sorry it's so late," he said._

"_It's fine," she said as she shook her head. "I've been asleep since seven and you didn't wake me up. I was already on the phone when you called." Alexa had decided this was something she needed to tell Roman about._

"_Who else called you at this time?" he questioned as he lay down on his bed in the hotel room he was sharing with Seth._

"_Dean," she said._

_Roman sat right back up in bed, "What was he calling you for? At this hour?"_

"_I don't really know why he called. He was talking about how he had a bad week because he can't get the sight of you and I at the airport out of his head. He knows I'm gone for good but he wishes you weren't the one I was with," she explained._

"_Too fucking bad," Roman said. "He's been driving alone and rooming alone for the past three days and I can't say that I miss him one bit."_

_Alexa sighed, debating on whether or not she should say what she was about to say. "No one deserves to be alone Roman."_

"_You actually feel sorry for that prick?"_

"_I know what it's like to be alone in a hotel room with no friends," she said, referring to all the times Dean had kept her tucked away in some hotel room while he partied. "Especially while the rest of the world is enjoying their lives."_

"_Alexa you and Dean are in two completely situations. You had no choice; your boyfriend left you alone in those hotel rooms night after night and made sure you didn't leave. Dean is alone because he pushed everyone away. No one told him to shut himself out, no one but me has a problem with him," he said._

_Alexa nodded her head in agreement, "I guess I just felt bad for him."_

_Roman smiled as he laid back down on his bed, "Your heart is too big, you care about everyone no matter what they've done. It's one of the things I lo-like about you," Roman said, catching himself before he said something he wasn't sure Alexa was ready to hear._

_Alexa didn't miss Roman's almost slip-up though but she chose to ignore it in fear that he wasn't ready to say it to her yet. Before she could respond to what he had said she let out a big yawn._

"_I'll let you go so you can get some sleep," he smiled. "I'll see you in eighteen days."_

_Alexa let out a frustrated groan, "That's so far away."_

"_It'll fly by before you know it," he smiled._

"_I miss you," she smiled._

"_I bet I miss you more though," he said. "I don't have a hotel room to sneak off to at night."_

"_You're not going to get me separate hotel rooms when I come with you just so you can sneak out are you?"_

_Roman laughed, "No babygirl, when you come on the road with me I want you next to me the whole time. Unless I'm out in the ring, you'd be too distracting for that."_

_Alexa smiled, "Oh, me as your manager? I might have to give my resume to Vince next time I'm on the road."_

"_You'd actually be The Shield's manager," he said._

_Alexa shook her head, "Never mind, I'll hold my resume until you're a singles competitor."_

_Roman laughed, "Get some sleep, and call me on your way to work tomorrow."_

_Alexa smiled, "I'll talk to you tomorrow."_

"_I'm coming!" Alexa shouted as she heard the knock on her door. It was now Saturday- Alexa's cleaning day – she had just started to move the living room furniture before the knocking had interrupted her. There was nothing she could do to mask the surprise on her face when she opened the door and saw Paige standing on the other side of it. She shook her head and opened the door wider, "Come in."_

_Paige walked in the house; she followed Alexa to the living room and sat down on the couch from where Alexa had sat down._

"_I'm sorry to pop-up like this but I really wanted to talk to you," she said. "I thought if I called you wouldn't answer so I just sucked it up and decided to come here."_

_Alexa nodded her head, "What did you want to talk about?" Alexa was no longer angry at Paige for what she did with Dean – she was hurt – but she still missed her friend._

"_I just wanted to come here and apologize to you for wanted happened between Dean and me," she said. "I sat there night after night and watched you stress about whether he was cheating or not and I know I should have spoke up but I was scared. He swore you were never going to find out and I just wanted to forget it ever happened. I should have been the one to tell you."_

_Alexa nodded her head, "I wish you had been the one to tell me, but I also see why you couldn't. I'm not angry about it anymore but it still hurts."_

_Paige nodded her head, "I miss hanging out with you, I miss talking to you."_

_Alexa stood from where she was sitting and moved to take a seat next to Paige, "I miss you too."_

"_If I agree to let you sleep with my next boyfriend can we just forget it ever happened?"_

_Alexa laughed, "Too soon Paige, too soon. I don't think Roman would want me sleeping with another man though."_

"_Oh, I heard about the two of you. So unexpected but so perfect at the same time," Paige said._

_Alexa smiled and filled Paige in on how she and Roman had gotten together and everything that happened when the truth finally came out._

_Just like that – their friendship was put perfectly back together. _


End file.
